CHINA / Face to Face
High-flyers
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-10 07:32
They are increasingly coming into wealth, either as small-business owners
or as corporate executives.
Women control US$14 trillion in wealth in the United States, and that is
expected to grow to US$22 trillion in the next decade, according to the
Business Women's Network, an information source for professional women.
As more women climb the corporate ladder or carve a niche for themselves
as entrepreneurs, corporate travel is having a female makeover. A growing
band of women find their lives increasingly being taken up by having to
rush off to the next meeting often thousands of miles away.
The number of women travelling on business has doubled in the past five
years the fastest growing market in executive travel, says British
Airways.
Women comprise 40 per cent of the business travel market in the
Asia-Pacific region, while 30 years ago the figure was only 10 per cent,
according to a recent survey by MasterCard.
From a greater choice of magazines on airplanes to female-only hotel
staff, the travel industry is slowly acknowledging that one of its
fastest growing segments is female passengers.
British Airways last year hired a woman in a marketing campaign for the
first time.
Virgin Atlantic offers in-flight beauty therapists who offer women
treatments.
But many female executives believe there is still a long way to go and
there needs to be universal understanding, from airlines to hotels, to
make sure that the safety, privacy and comfort needs of them are met.
"I don't see any privileges that female travellers have. In some
airlines, the business class chair does not even fit females very well,"
says Lucille Wu, managing director of Manpower China.
Business travel can be a burden on an already hectic work schedule. But
lots of female executives find the time spent alone in the air can
provide a welcome short break from tedious office work.
"Usually I try not to work on the plane, though it is difficult. It's the
time I get to rest," says Reene Ho-Phang, managing director of BrandStory
Inc.
"During my travels, there is lots of time alone. It is when I find time
to take a break from e-mails and reflect on my life. Natural scenery like
that in Southwest China's Yunnan Province or in India inspires me to
think about my life and my mission."
This week, three high-flying women share their business travel tips with
us.
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